Podcast: 24 March 2013

Today’s show brought us some amazing advances in technology, as well as the science of dreams, mimicry and brain tumours!

Developers at Hewlett-Packard have created a three-dimensional image which doesn’t require clumsy 3D goggles, much like the futuristic holograms of 70’s SciFi! Projecting simple images using diffractive optics, these scientists have taken us one step closer to being able to create real holograms which we may one day be able to walk around and view from all angles!

In Lima, Peru, a billboard advertising the local university creates drinking water OUT OF THIN AIR! Literally! This amazing invention cost just over a grand to set up, and provides a much needed resource in a location that receives less than 15mm of rain a year! While simultaneously advertising the quality of the university which produced it. Clever marketing indeed!

Guest presenter Daniel Pavlic broke down how and why we dream, instigating a very interesting discussion. During REM or “dream” sleep, our brains are going over the memories we made that day, consolidating and building upon them to help us use the information to deal with future situations!

Cathy spoke about mimicry (where one organism displays traits of another to pretend to be something it is not), showcasing some amazing animal species. For example: The mimic octopus, which divers have observed pretending to be 11 different underwater animals, and counting!

Guest researcher Iwan Bennet wrapped up the show, bringing us his amazing research into improving detection of a type of primary brain tumour. With their sophisticated vascularisation (blood supply), these nasty tumours are particularly aggressive and difficult to remove. We commend Iwan on his research into this grim area, and look forward to hearing the results of his PhD later this year! Well, that’s all from us this week! Catch us next week, same time, same place (3pm on 90.7 SYN FM) and be sure to send us your feedback or questions onwww.facebook.com/thesciencehour

Click on the link below for today’s podcast. Apologies for the low quality audio podcast.